1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a method of assembling an automotive body structure, and more particularly to a method of assembling a modular type automotive body structure. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a method of producing an automotive body structure by assembling preassembled body units or moludes together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is known, many of the modern motor vehicles are of a frameless construction type which generally comprises closed section parts (such as pillers, side sills, side members, cross members, a cowl box, roof rails and the like) which are joined together to serve as a framework of the body and panels (such as side body panels, a roof panel and the like) which are attached to the framework to constitute the entire of the vehicle body. In two box type, an engine compartment and a passenger compartment are defined in the body structure, while, in three box type, an engine compartment, a passenger compartment and a trunk room are defined in the same.
In fact, during the assembling process, the closed section parts and the panels are joined, bolted and welded successively to constitute a so-called "white body", then the white body is transferred to a painting booth where the white body is painted and then to a fitting section where the body is equipped with an engine, an instrument panel, seats, and the like, and finally, the body thus almost finished is equipped with interior decorative parts, such as a floor rug, a wall cover, a kicking plate cover and the like. This assembling process is described in the volume XIX titled "METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VEHICLE BODY" issued from SANKAIDO Co., Ltd., on Apr. 20, 1980.
However, because of this successive assembling process, the main assembling line of the production plant is greatly expanded particularly in length. As is known, enlargement of the production line brings about various disadvantages including increased production cost and product mishandling.
Furthermore, in the above-mentioned assembling process, the final fitting of the interior decorative parts to the body should be made by having a worker put in a restricted inner space of the unfinished body. The handling work carried out in such restricted space is very difficult or at least troublesome. In fact, fitting a floor rug, a decorative inner cover and the like neatly to given portions of the unfinished body has required a great deal of skill.